August 27, 2015

Thursday Thought

Remember how I didn't like Anne Frank The Diary Of A Young Girl? There were two things she said toward the end of her diary that were actually worthwhile. In fact, I thought it was profound that a young girl would even write such things. The two things that stuck me will be the Thursday Thoughts for the next two weeks.


"We're all alive, but we don't know why or what for; we're all searching for happiness; we're all leading lives that are different and yet the same. We three have been raised in good families, we have the opportunity to get an education and make something of ourselves. We have many reasons to hope for great happiness, but...we have to earn it. And that's something you can't achieve by taking the easy way out. Earning happiness means doing good and working, not speculating and being lazy. Laziness may look inviting, but only work gives you true satisfaction. I can't understand people who don't like work." - Anne Frank

I believe that each day is a gift from God and it is up to us to decide what we will do with our time. We get to choose to proactive and work hard or to be lazy and complacent. We get to decide which path we will take in life and we choose whether or not to be happy.

Growing up work was something that we did ALL THE TIME in our family. Work wasn't always fun, but I'm glad I was raised the way I was. Now, that I am married and out on my own, I find that I can't not be working on something. There have been short periods of time when I haven't been "working" (like when we moved) and things were taken care of at home and I noticed a change in my mood with the lack of work in my life. Work brings meaning, purpose, and a sense of accomplishment to my life. I can't imagine my life any other way. I feel so incredibly blessed to be alive, to have been taught how to work, and to be physically able to work-- even with a "broken" foot!

If you aren't the type of person who likes to work, I challenge you to try working more. Maybe you choose to find a job, or to volunteer, or to start exercising consistently, or organize you home. Whatever you decide to do, give it your all! You may be surprised at how you mood and mindset change.

Carpe Diem!